US troops land at Haiti palace

US troops have landed on the lawn of Haiti's shattered presidential palace to the cheers of earthquake victims as the UN said it would add 3,500 police and soldiers to the sluggish global effort to aid the devastated country.

The UN forces are aimed at helping control the outbursts of looting and violence that have slowed distribution of supplies.

The UN Security Council approved adding 2,000 troops to the 7,000 military peacekeepers already in the country as well as 1,500 more police to the 2,100-strong international force.

UN peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy said the extra soldiers are essential because of the "tremendous" number of requests to escort humanitarian convoys. He said the UN also needs extra troops to secure the routes using, and for "a reserve force" in case security deteriorates further.

A week after the 7.0-magnitude quake struck, killing an estimated 200,000 people, the port remains blocked and while the flow of food, water and supplies from the city's lone airport to the needy is increasing, it remains a work in progress.

Tens of thousands of people are sleeping in the streets or under plastic sheets in makeshift camps and relief workers say they fear visiting some parts of the city.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the UK will continue to look at "any way" it can make a difference in Haiti.

Mr Miliband described the situation in the Caribbean country as a "human tragedy of enormous proportions" during Commons question time.

He said the UK is working with international partners to ensure that aid is being delivered effectively to survivors.

Estimates put the likely death toll from last week's earthquake at 200,000, with 1.5 million people thought to be homeless. Mr Miliband said more than 50,000 had been confirmed dead so far, with three million in need of assistance.